A Ninja and an Irishman Walk Into a Bar
by ltjvt1026
Summary: Our favorite Israeli ninja/spy/assassin/federal agent and my OC the Irish bartender Seamus Dolan get their own story. R&R please.
1. Let's Be Friends

**Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies. We all know the deal don't we? I don't need to say anything further do I? **

**Authors Note: **I consider this chapter to be the start of the relationship between Ziva and Seamus. The original is staying in "Observing". So, I hope everyone enjoys my new project. I know I'm gonna.

**Spoilers: **A small one for "Kill Ari I & II", and naturally AMWIAB.

**NCIS HQ, the Bullpen, 1900hrs.**

NCIS Probationary Special Agent Ziva David was putting the finishing touches on her case notes. The bullpen was dark, the only illumination coming from her desk lamp and the lamp of her boss, Leroy Jethro Gibbs. From the corner of her eye, she could see Gibbs shutting down his computer.

_This was good; it means he'll be leaving soon._

Gibbs stood and stretched, his back popping loudly. He groaned in pleasure and Ziva gave a little smirk.

_You're getting old Gibbs._

She heard his drawer open and he slipped his holstered pistol onto his belt. Gibbs walked from behind his desk and stopped at Ziva's.

"You plan on going home David?"

Ziva looked up into the piercing blue eyes of her team leader.

"Just finishing up some case notes Gibbs. Then I'll be going."

"Okay. You all right? You've been kinda quiet the last couple of days."

"I am fine Gibbs."

Jethro smirked.

"You sound more like DiNozzo there."

Ziva chuckled.

"God forbid."

Gibbs smiled.

"Well, wrap it up Ziver; you've been hitting it pretty hard lately. Go home and get some rest."

Gibbs turned on his heel and headed for the elevator. Ziva sighed and sat back as she heard the elevator ding and the doors slide open and then closed. She closed out her paper work and shut down her computer. Ziva slowly looked around the silent bullpen. Since talking to Dr. Cranston she'd had vague feelings of dread. Ziva stood abruptly and started to gather up her things.

_Maybe it has something to do with talking to the sister of the woman your brother killed._

As soon as Dr. Cranston introduced herself, Ziva knew who she was. Not surprising since when still working for Mossad as her brother Ari's handler, she'd profiled every member of Team Gibbs. It was one of the reasons Ziva had opened up to the doctor a little. They had the loss of siblings in common. Ziva'd been tempted to seek Rachel out and really talk to her about Kate and Ari and the whole situation. However, her own reticence buttressed by years of being an intelligence officer assured that the idea was stillborn. Ziva moved to the elevator taking it to the ground floor. Waving to the night security officer, she went to her car. After placing her backpack in the trunk, Ziva stood and looked around.

_Now what?_

Ziva did not feel like going home. But, her options were limited. Tony and McGee were at a Georgetown basketball game. Abby was bowling with the nuns. The Goth tried to recruit Ziva but she'd politely declined. Now she sorry she did. Without thinking, Ziva found her feet taking her toward the North Gate of the Navy Yard.

**Charlie's Bar, 1920hrs.**

It was a slow night at Charlie's. Both the Hoyas and the Wizards were playing at home. Seamus Dolan was methodically working his way around the bar, cleaning it for the second time. There were only three people sitting at the bar, none of them regulars. Most of the action tonight was in the rear seating area where the 55 inch flat screen was showing the Georgetown game. Every five minutes or so a waitress would come to the service bar with a drink order. Seamus heard the double doors open, announcing the entrance of a new customer. Dolan looked over his shoulder.

_Well now, here's something that you don't see often._

Ziva David entered Charlie's noting the scarcity of patrons at the bar and the fact that Seamus Dolan was the evening bartender. Dolan was her favorite; he made a mean mojito. Ziva rounded the bar, taking a seat facing the door. Seamus walked over placing a coaster in front of her.

"And what can I get for you this evenin' Ms. David?"

"A mojito please."

"Comin' right up."

Dolan walked away to make the drink. Ziva played with her coaster. Of all of Team Gibbs, Dolan was formal only with Ziva.

_It's probably because he only sees me with the team. This is only the second time I've been in here by myself._

Seamus returned, placing the drink on the bar with his left hand. Ziva noticed a faded tattoo in the middle of his forearm, _SAT CONG. _It was not the same quality as the tattoo on his right forearm, looking like it was done by an amateur. Deciding it would be a good icebreaker, Ziva spoke.

"That is an interesting tattoo. Vietnamese, isn't it?"

Looking surprised, Dolan shrugged.

"It is indeed."

"What does it mean?"

Seamus smiled.

"Kill Communists."

Ziva knew from talking to Gibbs that Dolan served in the Navy in Vietnam. He'd been a gunner on a patrol boat in the Mekong Delta.

"It does not look professionally done."

Seamus laughed.

"Anything but."

Like any Irishman, Dolan loved to tell a story, so her propped a foot on the underside of the bar and leaned towards Ziva smiling.

"Care to hear about it?"

Ziva smiled back.

"Sure."

"Well, in the Mekong Delta, my boat unit worked with the SEALS, 9th Infantry Division and the Vietnamese Navy Junk Force. One day a Viet junk got into trouble and my boat bailed 'em out. That night my crew and theirs got drunk on home brewed rice wine. During the festivities, it was decided as a gesture of solidarity our crew would get 'SAT CONG' tats. Luckily our unit's corpsman was along, so he made sure that everything was sterile. This Viet Chief who looked old enough to have served with Noah on the Ark did the honors using a big ass straight pin and the ink from a dozen broken open ballpoint pens."

Ziva's eyes widened.

"How badly did it hurt?"

Dolan laughed.

"Dunno. Right after I told 'em I wanted it on me forearm, I passed out from the rice wine. Never felt a thing. When I woke up, I had me a tattoo. The other was done in Saigon by a pro on Tu Do Street. Now I have a question for you. What brings you here all by your lonesome?"

"I don't really know. I just didn't feel like going home."

"Fair enough then. When you're ready for another mojito, just gimmie a wave."

Dolan moved away down the bar and Ziva sipped her drink. She knew she wanted to talk to somebody, but was reluctant to. She hated leaning on people. Lost in thought she finished her drink and pushed the empty glass away. Catching the movement, Dolan built Ziva another drink and brought it down.

"Here ya go lass."

"Thank you Dolan. May I ask you a question?"

Seamus made a 'go ahead' gesture.

"Why don't you call me by my first name like you do the others?"

Dolan shrugged.

"That's easy. You don't exactly encourage familiarity. I don't become familiar with a customer unless I'm invited. This is only the second time you've been in here by yourself and really the first we've had a conversation."

Ziva nodded. It was true.

"So if I said 'call me Ziva'…"

"I'd be glad to…Ziva."

Ziva David grinned widely.

_I just may have found someone I can talk to_

"Dolan, I think this could be the start of a beautiful friendship."

Seamus guffawed.

"You've been spending too much time with DiNozzo!"

**A/N: **At the start of Season Nine, I noticed that Ziva's come up with some movie quotes. Maybe Friday movie nights have returned. For all you TIVA fans out there, I certainly hope so. Have a good weekend.


	2. A Soft Place To Fall

**Disclaimer: I disclaim.**

**Authors Note: **This story came about because of a review left by **USAFChief** for my chapter about Abby in my story arc for "A Man Walks Into A Bar". In the review he speculated that Abby might make a run at Seamus Dolan if things didn't work out with McGee. I didn't think I'd write that story, but the idea must have stuck with me. It just morphed into another character. This story takes place after "Pyramid". Enjoy.

**Spoilers: **For "Pyramid, I reckon.

**Charlie's Bar, Present Day, 2335hrs.**

It was Friday and Charlie's Bar was hopping. The entire Navy Yard it seemed decided to tie one on at the same time. Office pogues from the Naval District, JAG lawyers, NCIS agents and assorted hangers-on and camp followers were all clamoring for alcohol. The evening bartender, Seamus Dolan was busier than a one-legged man in an ass kicking contest.

Usually Seamus would be able to trade barbs and conversation with his patrons. Not tonight. All the tables were full and customers were three deep at the bar. It was so busy that Frank the Assistant Manager was helping out behind the bar, shocking Dolan.

_The one-way bastard never usually helps anybody._

They were shoulder to shoulder mixing drinks and Seamus looked over.

"You turning over a new leaf Frank?"

The assistant manager smirked.

"Nah, just making sure you'll keep up old man. Wouldn't want anyone to go away thirsty".

Seamus bit back a sarcastic retort. It was busy enough that he'd take all the help he could get…even if it was from Frank. Dolan was vaguely aware Team Gibbs was in the house somewhere. Their drink order, Glenlivet neat, a Harp's, a Zombie and a mojito passed through his hands earlier in the evening. In the ensuing chaos however he'd lost track.

Finally around 0100 the demand eased, like surf receding at low tide. The bar proper emptied out, but the tables were still busy. Finally getting a moment for himself, Seamus poured a cup of coffee and leaned against the service bar.

"I'm getting too old for this."

Rose, one of the waitresses looked up.

"What'd you say Seamus?"

_Holy shit, I said that aloud._

" Nothin' Rosie darlin', just an old man mumblin'."

Rosie picked up her tray smiling. She'd heard, but would let it pass.

Dolan sipped his coffee scanning the bar. Towards the bottom of the horseshoe shape he spied a familiar female with curly dark hair down to her shoulders. Dolan walked down and observed Ziva David staring into an empty glass.

"Another mojito Ziva?"

More glass staring. Seamus banged his knuckles on the bar next to the glass. Ziva started looking up quickly, a semi-pissed look on her face.

"What!"

Seamus' grin disappeared, his professional face slipping back on.

"Another drink Agent David?"

Realizing her mistake Ziva's face softened.

"Sorry Seamus. Yes please."

"Comin' right up."

After building the drink, Seamus returned, exchanging the full glass for the empty.

"So where are the rest then?"

"They've gone home. We were going to say hello earlier, but you appeared very busy."

"Aye, I was that. The entire Navy Yard it seemed decided to drink us dry. An' why are you still here lass?"

Ziva gave a tiny smile.

"Because I don't want to go home quite yet. And McGee was my ride in this morning. He and Abby went home together."

"What about DiNozzo?"

"Tony left early. Something is up with him. I'm not sure what. But I will find out."

Seamus looked closely at the young woman in front of him. While she was speaking he could detect the slightest slur in her speech.

_She must have knocked back quite a few. Usually she sounds normal even if she's downed half a bottle_

"You need a cab?"

"No, I may just stay here and try my luck, yes?"

Ziva slowly looked around the bar, sizing up the male patrons.

_Oh, this could be a problem._

"What about Ray?" Dolan said gently.

Ziva's head snapped around.

"Ray? Ray left for an assignment, leaving behind an empty ring box. A promise he said. What kind of promise is an empty box?"

_Ah, the clouds part._

Seamus propped a foot on the underside of the bar.

"So that's what all this is in aid of then. Drowning your sorrows is it?"

"I'd rather drown him!"

Ziva clapped a hand over her mouth. Dolan laughed.

"_In vino veritas. _Its okay darlin', your secret's safe with me. He's really thrown you for a loop."

Ziva looked puzzled.

"What does flying have to do with Ray and me?"

Seamus rolled his eyes.

"Figure of speech. Means you're confused by Ray's actions."

Ziva nodded.

"You're right about that."

A call came from down the bar.

"Hey Dolan, how about some service down here."

"Be right back. Don't go anywhere."

After tending to his other customers, Dolan returned, taking up his former position. Ziva looked up from her drink, intently studying Seamus.

"Were you ever married Dolan?"

"No I was not. There was a girl I knew from my neighborhood in Charlestown, but it didn't work out."  
"What happened?"

"Well, we grew up in the same neighborhood as I said, went to the same schools, knew each other forever. Mary Pat McGowen was her name. When we graduated from high school, I went in the Navy. She had a scholarship to Boston University. I came home after boot camp and my "A" School. We talked about getting engaged..."

"So what happened?"

"My orders to Vietnam happened. I was striking for Gunners Mate. There was a shortage of 'em in the Brown Water Navy. The career development Chief at the "A" School said a tour in 'Nam would improve my chances of making my rate. So I volunteered."

Ziva rolled her eyes and Dolan laughed.

"Yeah, I know, 'never volunteer'. Hey, I was a dumb, gung-ho kid. So I felt bad, told her we should hold off in case 'something' was to happen while I was over there. She was insistent. So I gave her a 'promise ring' and told her if anything happened to me she should move on with her life."

Ziva sipped her drink and put her chin in her hand.

"So why was there no wedding?"

Dolan sighed.

"Well, as I said, she was going to Boston U. Three quarters of the way through my tour, she 'Dear John'd' me. Her hippie scum friends convinced her I was fighting in an 'immoral war' and she dumped me. When I got home after extending my tour, I went over to BU in my Dress Blues and took the letter and the ring which she sent with the letter and looked her up. I wanted her to look me in the eye and tell me we were through."

Ziva cocked an eyebrow.

"Did she?"

"Wellll', when I found her, she was with some of the aforementioned hippie scum. Words were exchanged such as 'baby killer' and 'draft dodging left wing asshole'. There followed some fisticuffs which didn't help my cause any. Bottom line, we were through. Over the years, I never really found anyone I felt like living the rest of my life with."

Ziva downed the rest of her drink.

"She made a major mistake. I think you were lucky that you didn't marry her. Now however I need to find a way home."

Seamus nodded.

"Sit tight and I'll get Tommy from the kitchen to give you a ride home."

Ziva fiddled with her empty glass.

"What about you?"

At this point, alarm bells should have been going off in Seamus' head. But they were not. He scratched the back of his head.

"I've gotta close up Ziva."

"I'll wait if that's all right?"

"Sure, no problem."

So Ziva had a couple more drinks and the crowd thinned out and finally went home. Seamus went through his closing routine while Ziva sat at a table near the kitchen talking to Tommy the swamper. After Dolan let Tommy out and locked up, he gestured towards the alarm panel.

"I live upstairs. I set the alarm, we go upstairs, I get my car keys and we leave thru another entrance from my apartment."

After Seamus set the alarm, they walked upstairs. After getting into the apartment Dolan took off his apron tossing it on the couch. He went into the kitchen to retrieve his car keys. Ziva stood in the living room looking around. There was a couch, a recliner with a reading lamp, a big screen TV and several bookshelves. Dolan returned, walking up to Ziva.

"Okay lass, ready to go."

Ziva stepped into Seamus' personal space, placing a hand on his shoulder. She gave him a Mona Lisa-like smile.

"You know, you are a very attractive man Seamus Dolan?"

_Oh shit._

**Dolan's Apartment, Saturday, 0615hrs.**

Seamus Dolan's eyes snapped open. The first thing he realized was he was sleeping on his back. He never sleeps on his back. Always on his right side, legs slightly curled. The second thing he realized was there was a female body draped over him. There was the scent of sandalwood and sex.

_Ah Dolan ya dumb mick, you've done it this time. Ya never, never, ever sleep with a customer. Especially one that carries a gun and used to be an assassin._

Last night Dolan tried to fend off Ziva, but she'd gotten even closer to him and wrapped herself around him. At that point he gave up and went with it. Seamus figured it was sometime around six. He needed to get up and start his day. Seamus moved his left hand to Ziva's back running it tenderly along some of the scars there.

"Zee darlin', I've gotta get up."

There was a small groan and Ziva David raised her head smiling slightly.

"Good morning Seamus. And I think you're already up."

Dolan groaned himself as he felt a warm hand grab him.

"Have you no mercy woman?"

Forty five minutes and a shower later, Ziva and Seamus were eating breakfast. Ziva put down her fork.

"Can I still get that ride home?"

Seamus smiled.

"As long as you _actually _go home this time, sure."

Ziva mock glared at Dolan.

"Cradle robber."

"Oh, that idiom you know. I'm deeply wounded. As I recall, _you _made the first move."

"Yes I did. And I'd do it again."

Seamus' face grew serious.

"About that Zee…"

"I know Seamus, I promise that I'll give you fair warning next time."

"Zee, if you still have feelings for Ray, there won't _be _a next time."

"Seamus…"

"Ah no lass, I'll not be the cause of you two parting."

Ziva sighed.

"All right, but if we…"

"If you do, then we'll see. For now let's get you home so I can open up on time."

The ride to Ziva's was made in silence. When Seamus pulled up in front of Ziva's building, she opened the car door and then leaned back and brushed her lips across Seamus'

"I'll be back."

**A/N: **So what did you think? The Management would really like to know, so please leave a review. The title for this chapter comes from a Chris LeDoux song.


	3. Nobody's Girl

**Disclaimer: This new idea of mine is mine and mine alone. The character Ziva David belongs to Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill those lucky devils. But, I've got Seamus Dolan. Even up I'd say.**

**Authors Note: **I did have a case of writers block when I wrote this. Watching the Season 9 opener however gave me a few ideas. This story is one of 'em. There will be one or two more, ideas that is.

**Spoilers: **Small one's for 'Nature of the Beast'.

**Background Note: **A **wetting-down** is a ceremony for newly promoted officers in the US and British Navies. It used to involve actually throwing the honoree into the drink, hence the name. The wetting-down is always paid for and hosted by the newly promoted officer. Alcohol is almost always involved. There are usually toasts and in a naval officers case if the bar/pub is anywhere near water a for real 'wetting-down'.

**Charlie's Bar, Present Day, 2030hrs.**

Team Gibbs rolled into Charlie's at quitting time bent on 'wetting-down' Special Agent Ziva David's promotion from probationary to full agent status. Being a Monday, it was cheeseburger night at Charlie's. So all hands ordered burgers as well as drinks. Toasts were offered and gratefully acknowledged. Now, Ziva sat back in her chair smiling slightly. Gibbs as was his wont quietly sipped his bourbon taking it all in. Ducky was regaling Palmer with a story of a Royal Navy wetting-down he'd attended in Portsmouth. Abby and McGee were talking quietly, their heads together. Since Dr. Cranston's visit (**see my AMWIAB arc, Chps. 22-28 in "Observing"**) Ziva noticed a change in their dynamic. She'd mentioned it to her partner Special Agent Anthony 'Tony' DiNozzo. He'd just smirked and said, "Probie One finally grew a pair". And that was all she could get out of him.

_Grew a pair of what, exactly? American idioms are sooo strange._

Thinking of Tony brought a slight frown to her face. Tonight was the second time her partner missed a significant event in her life here in America. Granted he'd been on an assignment for the Director when she'd become an American citizen, but tonight he _could've _come. His 'homework' for whatever mysterious assignment he was working on _could've _waited for at least _one _drink couldn't it? Thoughts of Tony led her to thoughts of Ray Cruz. He at least had a good excuse for not being here. He was out of the country on assignment. When he left Ray gave her an empty ring box as a 'promise' that he would return and claim her. While she knew he thought it would be romantic, the whole empty ring box thing really bothered her. A voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts

"Earth to Ziva! Are you in there?"

Ziva looked into the concerned green eyes of her friend Abby Sciuto, the team's forensic scientist.

"Yes Abby, I am here."

"Okay good, 'cause Rosie's been asking you if you want another mojito for a couple of minutes now."

Abby gestured to the blond waitress.

"Sorry. Yes Rosie, I'll have another."

"'Kay, comin' right up."

Ziva glanced at the bar and noticed that the usual evening bartender, Seamus Dolan was not there. She looked at Abby.

"Where's Seamus?"

Abby took a sip of her Zombie.

"He's off Sunday and Monday, why?"

Ziva's face colored slightly.

"Oh, no reason, it's just that the mojito's taste different tonight."

Abby's brows knitted.

"Okaaay..."

_What's with Ziva? Asks about Dolan, using his first name no less and then…blushes? Gonna have to find out what's up with _that.

But before she could take her thought further, Tim distracted her by putting his hand on her thigh under the table and smiling.

"What do you say to going back to my place later?"

Abby grinned wickedly.

"How about _my _place instead. You haven't slept in the coffin in a while."

"Come on Abs…"

"Please Timmy? For me?"

Tim looked into Abby's green eyes and caved.

"Oh, all right. Jeez."

At about eight o'clock, Gibbs was the first to pack it in. He stood and walked around the table to Ziva.

"Gonna head on home."

Jethro leaned down and kissed her on the cheek and then whispered in her ear.

"_Congratulations Ziver. You're off tomorrow. Do something nice for yourself. You've earned it."_

Ziva looked up and smiled.

"Thank you Gibbs."

Jethro made his goodbyes and left. Ducky and Palmer were the next to go.

"I have a 'guest' to see off early tomorrow my dear. Mr. Palmer has to assist me."

"That's quite all right Ducky, Jimmy. Thank you for coming out."

After the ME and his assistant left, the three agents had one more drink. Ziva caught several significant looks between her two friends and smiled slightly.

"You two can go you know. I may have one more drink and pay the check. I'll get a taxi home."

Both her friends protested, but half heartedly. Ziva grinned.

"It's fine, go on."

The three friends stood and walked to the bar. Ziva sat and watched as her two friends left arm in arm.

_I wonder if Gibbs knows._

Ziva snorted

_Of course he does. He knows everything._

"What can I get you miss?"

Ziva turned and faced the bartender. He had on a nametag that read 'Steve'.

"A mojito Steve. And the check from dinner please."

"You got it."

After paying the check, Ziva sat and sipped her drink. She did not feel like going home. Earlier in the evening she'd gone to the ladies room and called Tony's cell. It rang and rang and then went to voicemail.

_How did that phrase go Tony used once? 'All dressed up and no place to go'?_

Well, not exactly no place to go… Ziva shook her head. She was stalling. Pre-Somalia Ziva would have been up and doing what she was currently contemplating. But that Ziva was dead and gone. The new Ziva wasn't so sure this would be a good idea.

"Another mojito miss?"

Ziva looked down and saw her glass was empty. Making up her mind, she shook her head.

"No thank you."

**Seamus Dolan's apartment, 2040hrs.**

Seamus Dolan was sitting in his recliner reading 'Painted Ladies' the latest Spenser novel by Robert B. Parker. The novels took place in Boston, which was Seamus' hometown. Next to Dolan on a little side table was a glass of three fingers worth of 18 year old Jameson Irish whiskey. His kid brother brought a bottle down with him the last time he'd visited.

_I owe him a trip up to Boston. Haven't been in about two years. Maybe in June, we can catch a Sox game._

All in all Seamus' life was pretty boring. He worked behind the bar at Charlie's five days a week, volunteers two Sunday's a month at the Washington DC VA Medical Center and that was pretty much it. Of course he'd done two tours in Vietnam on the bow gun of a PBR, followed by a twenty year career as a cop in Boston. Then when he retired there was that stretch as a private investigator and skip tracer in Florida.

_But now I'm just a sixty one year old Boston mick tryin' to get by._

Seamus put down the book and taking his glass with him walked into the kitchen. There was some leftover pizza in the fridge. Just as he touched the door of the fridge, a knock sounded at his hallway door. Seamus lived on the second floor over Charlie's. There were three other apartments. Dolan's was the only one with two entrances. One led downstairs to the bar's kitchen, the other to the second floor common hallway that had a stairway from the street. The street door had an electronic lock that the apartment resident needed to buzz open if someone wanted to come up.

_Could be somebody who can't find the right apartment. No, 'cause I'm the one who neatly labeled everybody's buzzer_.

Seamus moved back into the living room going towards the door. He placed his glass on the table next to his recliner. Another knock sounded this one a little louder.

"Alright, alright, hold your horses, I'm comin'."

Dolan slowed down and being in his stocking feet moved quietly to the door. Next to the door was a waist high small table that Seamus put his outgoing mail on so he wouldn't forget it. On the underside of the table a holster was riveted. In the holster was a 9mm. Makarov pistol. Seamus drew the pistol and held it behind his right thigh.

_I really should install a peephole in this door._

He gripped the knob with his left hand, twisted and jerked the door open. Standing there was a smiling Ziva David.

"How did…"

Ziva's smile widened. Seamus' mouth snapped shut.

_Hellllo, ex-Mossad spy/assassin. How d'ya think she got in boyyo._

"Are you going to invite me in?"

"Uh, of course. Come in."

Seamus moved aside and at the same time slid the Makarov back into its hiding place. Ziva caught the movement as she entered the apartment. Seamus closed and locked the door.

"Was that a Makarov?"

"Yes it was."

"Not a common pistol for an American to have."

Dolan smiled tightly.

"The VC it belonged to had no further use for it."

"Ah."

Ziva moved into the living room, noting it was just as neat as the last time she was there. She saw the book on the arm of the recliner.

"You read the Spenser novels?"

"Yeah, reminds me of home. Can I take your jacket?"

"Thank you."

Seamus put her jacket in the hall closet and came back to the living room. Since the last time she'd been here, Ziva'd come into Charlie's by herself more frequently. A couple of times she'd needed a ride home, but Seamus got Tommy the swamper to do it. He wasn't avoiding _her _exactly. More like he was avoiding _temptation. _Now with her again standing in his place, he remembered her parting words from the last time.

_I'll be back._

"Not that I'm averse to having beautiful women knocking on my door, but to what do I owe the pleasure?"

For the first time Ziva felt a little uncertain. He didn't seem all that happy to see her.

"We were downstairs celebrating. I am done with my probationary period. I'm a full agent now."

"Congratulations. Wetting- down your promotion were you?"

"Yes, how…"

"I was in the Navy at one time, remember?"

"That's right, you were."

"Still waiting for the punch line darlin'."

Ziva looked confused.

"I'm not going to punch you."

Seamus rolled his eyes, sighed and pointed at the floor.

"Why are you here Zee?"

_Well, that was better, he used his nickname for her, but he still didn't seem that happy to see her._

Ziva took a deep breath.

"Everybody went home. Ray is away, Tony is off working on some assignment…"

She saw him smile and then realized how what she'd just said came out. Her face started to redden.

"Seamus, I'm…"

"Not very good salesmanship Ms. David mentioning your _boyfriend_ and _male partner_, making me the third choice."

Now Ziva's face was a very interesting shade of crimson.

"Oh my God. Seamus I'm soo sorry. I didn't mean…"

Dolan laughed, his green eyes dancing.

"Relax Zee. I'm just pokin' a stick in your cage. I was getting ready to warm up some leftover pizza. Would you like some?"

Ziva looked relieved.

"Yes, that would be great."

After Dolan reheated the pizza they decided to watch some TV while they ate. Seamus turned on the TV. Earlier he'd been watching one of the classic movie channels. There was a Humphrey Bogart marathon on. As they sat down on the couch, the opening credits to "To Have and Have Not "were rolling. Placing her plate on the coffee table in front of the couch, Ziva turned to Seamus.

"I've seen several of Bogart's films, but I've never heard of this one."

Dolan smiled.

"Came out in 1944, has some pretty good actors in it and Hoagy Carmichael sang a couple of songs. I've watched it a couple of times."

_The Big Guy upstairs must have a sense of humor. A forty something Bogart meets nineteen year old Lauren Bacall on the movie set and falls in love. Not trying to tell me anything are ya Big Guy?_

After finishing the pizza Ziva gradually made her way across the couch to where Seamus was sitting. When she was close enough she put her head on his shoulder and drew her legs up on the couch. Dolan stiffened at first but then relaxed. When the movie ended, Seamus took one more stab at sanity.

"Don't you have work in the morning kiddo?"

Still leaning on Seamus but with her eyes closed, Ziva snuggled in closer.

"No, Gibbs gave me the day off."

_Crap. Thanks Agent Gibbs._

"Listen Ziva…"

Ziva David went from her position next to Dolan to in his lap. She leaned in and kissed him deeply. Pulling back slightly she fixed him with her vivid brown eyes.

"I do not wish to be alone tonight. Can I stay? Please?"

_CRAP._

**Dolan's apartment 0415hrs.**

As Yogi Berra would say, 'it was déjà vu all over again'. Seamus Dolan woke up, but it wasn't on his own. There again was the scent of sandalwood and sex in the air. Now that he was fully awake he heard the whimpering. It was coming from Ziva. In her sleep she'd rolled away from him and was lying on her side facing away. Seamus hesitated to wake her up. If she was having a nightmare he might be better off to let her ride it out. In the 'Nam he'd awakened a friend who was having a nightmare. And almost lost two teeth when the guy woke up swinging. Dolan didn't want to think what a former assassin could do if suddenly awoken from a bad dream. There was another round of whimpering.

_Well, don't just lay there like a lump, DO something._

Seamus scooted closer to Ziva and taking a deep breath wrapped his arms around her. Pulling her close to him, he whispered in her ear.

"Easy Zee, I've got ya, I've got ya."

Ziva stiffened initially when he touched her, but hearing his voice, she relaxed and murmured 'Seamus'.

"Yeah, it's me darlin'. Go back to sleep. I've got ya."

Ziva sighed and pulled herself closer to him.

"Okay."

Eventually Ziva's breathing evened out. Seamus sighed. At this point, he couldn't decide who he hated more, Ray, DiNozzo, or himself.

**A/N: **I rewrote the end of this story three times. This last version sounded the best to me. I'm leaving this open ended 'cause I'm not sure where the writers are going to go with Ziva and Ray. I've got a funny feeling he's gonna turn out to be a bad guy. The title for this chapter comes from the Bonnie Raitt song. It was playing on iTunes when I was writing this and seemed to fit.


	4. A Day Off

**Disclaimer: The TV show NCIS is the intellectual property of Donald P Bellisario and Don McGill, two very bright gentlemen. I'd like to thank them for creating this universe I get to play in. I'm not making a profit, just scribbling away writing fanfiction.**

**Authors Note: **This chapter was in outline form when I finished "Nobody's Girl". I was expecting _somebody _to ask if Ziva and Seamus spent her day off together. Nobody did (well, somebody did after I poked a verbal stick at 'em).

**Background: **The Battle of Fredericksburg took place between December 11th and December 15th 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia. The Union frontal assault on the heights behind the city was one of the most one sided battles of the Civil War. One of the units that took part in the battle and that ill-fated frontal assault on Mayre's Heights was the Irish Brigade. Made up of mostly Irish immigrants, it started December 13th with 1600 effectives. At the end of the day's fighting, only 250 answered the roll call.

**Seamus Dolan's apartment 0815hrs.**

Seamus Dolan sat at his kitchen table with an old towel in front of him. On the towel was his Makarov pistol. It currently was broken down into its component parts. Whenever he was trying to figure out a problem, it helped if his hands were busy. Physical activity helped him to think. Since his company was sleeping, cleaning the apartment wasn't an option. Besides, it was already beyond clean. As his fingers assembled the Russian pistol his mind was going over the possible consequences of continuing to see Ziva David. All the scenarios looked bad or at least uncomfortable. Seamus chuckled to himself.

_For once you may just have to go with the flow and see where it leads laddie._

With that comforting thought echoing in his head, Seamus reloaded the pistol, repacked the cleaning kit, folded up the towel and stood. The cleaning kit went back under the sink along with the towel. Dolan walked to the front door and slid the Makarov back into its holster under the table.

_Enough thinking. Time for coffee._

Ziva David woke suddenly. She looked around her unfamiliar surroundings. Then she realized where she was.

_Seamus' bedroom. Oh._

The events of the previous evening came back in a rush. She groaned. She hadn't meant for it to go where it went but it did. She checked the clock radio on the nightstand.

_8:20!_

Ziva was usually up every day by five thirty. She went for her run, did some Krav Magra shadow boxing and got ready for her day. While see was a little upset with herself about sleeping late she did feel pretty good. Ziva sat up and stretched and then swung her legs out. That's when she remembered the nightmare. This particular one hadn't visited her in a while. She was falling thru utter blackness emitting a soundless scream. Except last night two arms reached out of the darkness and grabbed her, stopping her fall.

_Seamus._

Ziva stood up and looked around for her clothes. At the foot of the bed was a neatly folded t-shirt on top of her clothes. She shrugged into the shirt and headed for the kitchen. She smelled coffee.

Dolan was just pouring himself a mug of coffee and contemplating whether or not to add a bit of man's best friend when he heard a noise behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see Ziva David in his Boston PD SWAT t-shirt, hair tousled, smiling.

"Good morning Seamus."

"Mornin' Zee. Coffee or tea? I think I might have some Earl Grey around here someplace."

"Coffee will be fine."

Seamus poured her a cup and abandoned his idea of topping up his own coffee. He handed her the cup and they sat at the kitchen table. Ziva sipped her coffee and the silence stretched.

_Awkward. Well, he can only say no._

"So, I'm off today and I was wondering if you'd like to spend the day together?"

Seamus blinked once.

_I know I said I was gonna go with the flow, but…"_

Ziva took the silence for a no and cringed a little inside.

_I'm an idiot._

"It's all right, I understand if you're busy. I just thought…"

Dolan snapped back into the here and now.

"No darlin' it's okay. Sure we can spend the day. Long as I get back here by three forty five. Work ya know."

They finished their coffee and Ziva went off to shower. Dolan sat at the table.

_Well Ollie, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into._

After Ziva, Dolan took his own shower declining an offer to 'help him wash his back'. He dressed in jeans a dark blue polo shirt and black Reboks. Dolan returned to the kitchen and grabbed his keys.

"Ready to go?"

Ziva had been sitting at the table sipping her coffee staring off into the middle distance. She started when Dolan spoke.

"Yes."

She stood and Seamus gave her a look.

"You okay Zee?"

Ziva smiled at the nickname.

_I love how that sounds with his accent._

"I'm good, let's go."

The two walked out of the apartment and down to the street. It was a nice spring morning, with the promise of a warm afternoon. They walked to the small parking lot next to the bar. In the back corner a car sat under a cover. Seamus went to the front and unlocked the padlock that secured the cover. Having helped him the last time she visited Ziva went to the back of the car and started to remove the cover.

"I know you told me the last time, but what kind of car is this again?"

As Seamus helped fold the cover he rolled his eyes.

"It's a 1968 Pontiac GTO, V-8 engine, four speed manual trans, Rochester four barrel carburetor and disc brakes. I paid $3600.00 for it brand new."

Ziva gave an eye roll of her own.

"What is it about men and cars?"

"It's in our DNA darlin'."

After stowing the cover in the trunk, Seamus wheeled the red Pontiac onto the street and set off for Ziva's place. Once there he declined an invitation to come in while she changed, noting that if he did, he doubted they'd be going anywhere. Ziva gave him a pouty face but then smiled and said she'd be quick.

Fifteen minutes later she was back. Seamus was leaning on the front fender, just taking in the day.

"Was that quick enough?"

Seamus grinned.

"Yes it was. And effective too."

Ziva was dressed in black jeans, a green t-shirt, New Balance running shoes and a jeans jacket. As they drove off, Ziva turned to Seamus.

"So, any ideas on what to do?"

"How do you feel about a history lesson and lunch?"

**Mayre's Heights, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, 1145hrs.**

On the way down I-95 Seamus talked about the campaign by the Union in the latter part of 1862 and how the Union commander, General Burnside hoped to cross the Rappahannock River and race to the Confederate capital of Richmond before General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia could stop him. But delays in receiving bridging equipment caused the Union army to be blocked at Fredericksburg. Once they reached the battlefield Seamus led them up to Mayre's Heights. They gazed down upon a field that extended about four or five hundred yards back towards the town. There were many people doing exactly what they were, strolling in the warm sunshine. Seamus pointed towards Fredericksburg.

"On December 13th, the third day of the battle, General Burnside ordered these hills taken. Part of the division assigned to the task was the Irish Brigade. At that time the Brigade consisted of the 63rd, 69th and 88th New York Volunteer Infantry, as well as the 28th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. A brigade at a time was hurled at the heights. As luck would have it, when the Brigade's turn came, the area they attacked was being held by the 24th Georgia Infantry, commanded by Colonel Robert McMillan. The Twenty Fourth was made up entirely of Irish immigrants."

Ziva turned to Dolan her eyes widening.

"So, it was Irishmen fighting Irishmen?"

Seamus looked sad.

"Aye it was."

"Were there any Dolan's involved?"

"Clever girl. Yes, there were several on each side. Sadly, some of them are still here. When the Brigade started the day there were sixteen hundred men in it. At nightfall, only two hundred and fifty answered the roll."

Ziva looked shocked.

"So many killed?"

"Uh- huh. Massed rifle fire and canister did the dirty work. This part of the battle caused General Lee to utter one of the greatest quotes about war."

Ziva looked puzzled. Dolan gazed off into the distance.

"After watching attack after attack by the Union go in against the heights and witnessing the valor of units such as the Irish Brigade, Lee turned to one of his generals and said 'It is well war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it.'"

Seamus grabbed Ziva's hand.

"Lesson over, let's get lunch."

**Caroline St., Fredericksburg, Virginia 1300hrs.**

Seamus Dolan pulled the GTO into a parking lot just outside the Historic District. They exited the car and Dolan led Ziva down the street to a small restaurant. The neon sign in the window read 'Gypsy Sally's'. Smaller letters read 'Vietnamese cuisine'. Ziva raised an eyebrow, but Dolan just shrugged and held the door open motioning her to enter. The little entrance foyer had a counter with a cash register. The wallpaper had an oriental motif. There were booths along both walls and there were tables in the middle. There were about fifteen or sixteen having lunch. From the back of the room a woman bustled forward. She was about five feet tall and wearing a red ao dai. As she got closer her face lit up. She started speaking rapid fire Vietnamese.

"_Seamus, you naughty boy. Where have you been? It's been ages since you were here last."_

Seamus looked chagrined and replied, also in Vietnamese.

"_Hello Sal. And it hasn't been that long."_

"_It's been at least three months, maybe longer. Who's your friend?"_

Dolan smiled and shifted back to English.

"Sorry. Ziva David, this is Sally Tranh. Sally, Ziva."

"Welcome Ziva."

"Thank you."

"Two for lunch Seamus?"

"You bet Sal."

"Right this way."

Sally led them to a booth towards the back, chattering the whole time to Seamus filling him in on the goings on of her extended family. After they were settled Seamus looked at Ziva.

"Can I order for us both?"

Ziva nodded.

"Sure."

"Then we'll have my usual, okay Sally?"

Sally smiled.

"Okay GI. Would you like tea?"

"You bet kiddo."

Sally moved off to put in their order and get the tea. Ziva looked at Seamus.

"So, you speak Vietnamese?"

"Yeah, I picked it up while I was there and kept it up over the years."

Ziva gave him a 'well, keep going look'. Seamus sighed.

"During my first tour, we'd have an interpreter on the boat for when we'd stop junks and sampans, so I picked up some words and phrases. Plus we worked pretty close with the Vietnamese Navy Junk Force, so I got even more practice."

Sally came back with the tea and poured for each of them. She left and Seamus resumed.

"Remember I told you I came home and confronted Mary Pat? **(Chp. 2)**"

Ziva nodded.

"Well, after that I stuck around long enough to see my parents and brother and buy the Pontiac. Then I went back to San Diego and voluntarily extended my enlistment so I could go back to the 'Nam for another tour. To say my Ma was pissed off would be an understatement."

At this point a young Vietnamese girl came with the first part of their lunch. Seamus smiled.

"_Cam on ban."_

The girl smiled and said in English, "You're welcome." She moved away.

Dolan gestured to the plates.

"This is _goi cuon_, the Viet version of summer rolls. It's got shrimp, pork, rice vermicelli and peanut sauce for dipping."

Ziva took several bites and groaned in pleasure.

"This is really, really good. So you went back to Vietnam?"

Seamus finished chewing.

"Uh huh. Pretty much everybody in the chain thought I was out of my gourd. But I even managed to get reassigned to my old unit. There was this place we used to hang out in after work hours. It was called the 'Texas Bar'. Sally ran it. There was a bar out front and rooms in the back. The bar girls sat out front drinking 'Saigon tea' and trolled for customers. There was no shortage. There was a girl that used to do Sally's books for her named Linh. We hit it off, so when I wasn't runnin' patrols on the _Song My Tho_ or pulling maintenance on the boat I was at the bar with Linh."

The waitress came back with their main course. Seamus grinned.

"If you liked the _goi cuon_, you're gonna love the _bun cha_. Grilled pork with vermicelli noodles over salad greens, sliced cucumbers, bean sprouts, spring onions, shrimp and _nuoc chan _(fish sauce) on the side."

They dug into their food, but now Ziva was really curious.

"So how did things work out with you and Linh?"

Dolan got a pained look on his face.

"How could they work out? She knew the deal and so did I. When my tour ended, I went home. She _was _home. I went back to Boston, worked a couple of dead end jobs waiting to get on the cops. Once I was on the Job, it took the bosses a while to twig that I spoke Vietnamese. After Saigon fell, there was an influx of refugees to Dorchester. The Department started a Community Assistance Team there and I was transferred from South Boston."

Ziva loked thoughtful.

"Whatever happened to Linh?"

"Dunno. I didn't even know Sally got out in '76 'til I ran into a guy I served with on Memorial Day in 2008. We were at the Wall and he says 'Hey man, 'ol Sally's runnin' a restaurant in Fredericksburg.' I've been coming here on and off since then."

After finishing their meal and promising Sally they'd return again soon, Seamus pointed the GTO back towards Washington. When they pulled up at Ziva's, Seamus didn't kill the motor.

"Listen Zee, I gotta get going."

Ziva looked disappointed.

"You don't want to come in?"

Dolan looked at the clock on the car's dash.

"I do, but if I do I'm probably gonna be late."

Ziva gave him a wicked grin.

"Would that be such a bad thing?"

Seamus grinned back.

"No, but I'm leavin' anyway. You know where I'm at, both work and home. I'm _sure_ I'll be seein' you around Ziva David."

Ziva got out of the car and walked around to the driver's side. She leaned in the window and whispered, "_You can count on it."_

**A/N: **So, there it is. By the way, when I wrote this in Word, all the Vietnamese had the proper accents. FFN made 'em all disappear. _Vi vay bay gio_.


	5. Engaged Part 1

**Disclaimer: The Usual. Do I have to say more?**

**Authors Note: **I'm going to do tags here just like "Observing ", except they're going to be from Ziva and Seamus' perspective. What would you call this 'ship? I've got no clue. Hope you enjoy it.

**Spoilers: **If you haven't seen 'Engaged Pt. 1' you can consider yourself spoiled.

**Director's Office NCIS HQ, Present Day, 1100hrs.**

Senior Supervisory Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs came out of the Director's Office under a full head of steam. There was a lot to do and a short time to get it done. As he came down the steps from the catwalk, three pairs of eyes followed him. When he reached the bullpen he started right in.

"David, is your shot card up to date?"

"Yes Gibbs."

"Good."

Gibbs tossed her his car keys.

"Meet me in the parking lot in twenty. We've got to go to the Marine Reserve Center at NSF (Naval Support Facility) Anacostia to draw combat gear."

Ziva gave her boss a big smile and started gathering up her gear.

"Yes Gibbs."

DiNozzo and McGee both stood.

"Boss…"

"Question DiNozzo?"

"Why…"

"Because she speaks Pashto and Dari. Either of you…?"

"No Boss."

"No Boss."

Gibbs nodded.

"Alright. While we're gone, you _will_ find out as much as you can about the group that has Lt. Flores. And I mean _everything._ Anybody balks, use the CMC (Commandant of the Marine Corps)'s name. Clear?"

"Yes Boss."

"Yes Boss."

Gibbs rolled his shoulders and sighed.

"Now I gotta go downstairs and tell Abby about this."

It took a lot longer than twenty minutes.

**Gibbs residence, 2150hrs.**

After both Gibbs and Ziva drew their combat gear they returned to the Navy Yard. McGee and DiNozzo compiled quite a bit of information in a short time. More info would be forthcoming as the mission went forward. With the Director concurring, Jethro sent everybody home. Before they left made clear he expected that he would see the appropriate people on the flight line at Andrews by 0430 in the morning. Gibbs hoisted his sea bag full of gear onto his shoulder and left the bullpen. He'd just reached his truck when his cell went off. ABBY was flashing on the screen.

"Yeah Abs?"

"Gibbs, we're going out to dinner later. Want to come?"

"No thanks Abs. I've gotta get my gear ready and then clean up the house."

"Gibbs…."

"Abby, I'll be fine. I'll see you in the morning."

"But…"

"In the morning Abby."

"Okay, see you then."

Gibbs sighed.

_Something tells me it'll be sooner than that._

Hours later Jethro snapped a padlock onto the sea bag containing his combat gear. He'd changed out some of the web gear for his own. He also left out the new boots and replaced them with a broken in pair. Now there was just one more thing to do. Gibbs walked over to the locked drawer under his work bench. From a jar full of screws on a shelf above he removed the key. Unlocking the drawer he pulled it out. Nestled in foam rubber was his sniper rifle. Alongside that in two new slots were a Smith & Wesson SW1911PD in .45 caliber and a .357 Colt Python. Jethro lifted out the .45 and three empty spare magazines. He placed his SIG and holster in the drawer and closed and locked it. From another drawer he removed a DeSantis Speed Scabbard and a box of .45 shells. Gibbs picked up the Smith and thumbed the mag release, catching the magazine in his off hand. He looked over the magazine and the rounds looking for any flaws. Satisfied there were none, he smacked the magazine back into the weapon. Jethro carefully pushed back on the slide until he saw a gleam of brass in the ejection port. He then eased the slide forward until it was back in battery. Gibbs turned the weapon over in his hands once, smiling slightly. He then shoved it into the Speed Scabbard.

_Ready to go to war Boss._

As he finished loading the last spare magazine, Jethro heard his front door open and a familiar gait move towards his cellar door. He gathered up the .45 and shoved the magazines in his pockets. Hoisting the sea bag to his shoulder he headed for the stairs.

"I'll be right up Abby."

Gibbs did not want his Goth forensic scientist to see the oversized envelope addressed to DiNozzo sitting on his workbench. As he gained the top of the stairs, Abby came into view.

"Hey Gibbs."

"Abs. What're you doin' here?"

He noticed she was carrying a small backpack. Jethro placed the sea bag down and reached back turning out the cellar light.

"Abby, what are you doing here?"

Abby took a deep breath.

"Well, Ziva's driving to Andrews in the morning and she asked Tony to drive her car back to her place, so Tim's gonna pick him up and I…I'm gonna drive you to Andrews…Please?"

The puppy dog look she gave Gibbs at this point would have melted Genghis Khan's heart. Gibbs sighed.

"An' McGee's okay with this?"

"Totally."

Gibbs sighed.

"Okay."

Abby grinned and clapped her hands.

"Yay!"

After setting the sea bag by the front door, Gibbs and Abby sat on the couch and reminisced about the last twelve years. After a while, Abby's eyelids started fluttering.

"Time for bed for you, young lady."

"But Gibbbbs…"

"No buts, march."

Grumbling, Abby led the way upstairs to the guest bedroom. Gibbs stayed outside until she called him in. The covers were up to her chin. She looked up at Gibbs.

"You guys are both gonna come back right?"

As he turned out the bedside light and kissed Abby on the forehead, Gibbs sighed.

"I'll do my best Abs."

**Charlie's Bar 0140hrs.**

Special Agent Ziva David slid between the doors of the bar just as Tommy the swamper was getting ready to shut them.

"_HEY_, you can't…Oh, hi Miss Ziva."

"Hello Tommy."

Ziva walked past the memorial wall and into the bar proper. Dolan had his back to her as he rearranged some bottles. Seamus Dolan heard Tommy's voice and now he felt someone's eyes on him. He turned his head and saw Ziva looking at him. She had the same look on her face she'd had several months ago when she'd broached the idea of their _arrangement._

_Well, maybe Ray is back and the 'arrangement' is over._

"Hello Ziva darlin'. What brings you here so late?"

"I need to talk to you Seamus."

_No conversation _ever _goes well when it starts like that._

"Sure, just give me about ten minutes."

After finishing behind the bar, Seamus came around and grabbed his jacket. Tommy'd already clocked out. Dolan gestured towards the kitchen.

"Upstairs?"

Ziva removed her hands from the pockets of her long coat and gestured towards the front doors.

Seamus nodded.

"Okay."

Dolan set the alarm panel and they quickly exited the building. After waiting for the red light that meant the system was armed, Ziva led the way around the side of the building to the parking lot. Her Mini-Cooper was sitting there. When they reached it she spun around and grabbed Seamus by the front of his jacket, kissing him deeply. Dolan's arms automatically went around her waist pulling her closer.

_Well, the news can't be all _that _bad._

Ziva pulled back and her dark eyes bored into his green ones. Before he could say anything she spoke.

"I have to go away tomorrow morning. Gibbs and I are going to Afghanistan on a case."

Seamus sighed.

"How long?"

"I don't know. There is a female Marine lieutenant missing."

"What time are you leaving?"

"The plane takes off at 0500."

Seamus laughed.

"Then what are you doin' here at 0210 girlie?"

Ziva gave a small smile.

"I wanted to say good-bye. And to give you this."

From an inside pocket, Ziva extracted a thick envelope. She handed it to Dolan.

"Remember the joke you told me about the bullets?"

Seamus nodded.

"Sure, 'it's not the one with my name on it I worry about; it's the one that says "to whom it may concern" that scares me'. So?"

Ziva touched the envelope.

"In case 'to whom it may concern' comes to pass."

"Ah, Zee, don't be silly. Besides don't you think you should have given this to DiNozzo? He's your partner after all."

Ziva's face grew grim.

"I think if things go badly Tony will have another task to handle. I do not want to give him two."

Seamus turned the envelope over in his hands and nodded.

"Okay, I'll hold it. But I plan on giving it back."

Ziva smiled.

"And I plan on taking it back."

"Good. Now m'lady you need to get on home and get a couple of hours sleep."  
Ziva stepped in close, her face inches from Seamus'.

"Care to come along?"

"Yes, but then you really wouldn't get any sleep."

Suddenly Dolan smacked her on the butt, causing her to yelp and jump back.

"Be off with you Ziva David."

Ziva laughed.

"All right."

She turned to go, but Seamus caught her by the arm.

"Don't do anything silly Zee."

"I won't Seamus."

He stood and watched her get into the Mini-Cooper and back out of the parking space. He waved as she did when she passed him. The Mini-Cooper pulled out into the street and Seamus watched until the taillights disappeared. He sighed and turned to go up to his apartment.

_I think a few fingers of man's best friend are indicated._

**A/N:** If you liked this chapter, you can thank **finlaure**; she was looking for a tag for Engaged.


	6. Engaged Part 2

**Disclaimer: No, not mine. Never will be. **

**Authors Note: **I had every intention of having this story out by the time 'Engaged Part 2' aired. Didn't happen. For one thing I couldn't get the two part thing, Gibbs and Ziva to work the way I liked. So I decided to do this chapter from Ziva's side. I've never been totally happy about the way the writers went from Ziva being a captive to Ziva being okay. In the couple of chapters I've done here with Ziva/Seamus I've sort of hinted she's still having problems. I'm going to delve into that a little more here. I ripped up one draft already and this one sounds okay, but I'm not sure. So feel free to fire away, concrit is always welcome.

**Spoilers: **'Engaged Parts 1 & 2'

**Ziva's apartment, Present Day, 0315hrs.**

NCIS Special Agent Ziva David was up to her neck in steaming hot bath water. There was the smell of lavender in the air. Thirty minutes ago she'd had a nightmare that jerked her out of a sound sleep. They'd come back from Afghanistan Tuesday, Gibbs, her, Lt. Flores and the body of Capt. Quincy. It was now early Saturday morning. The nightmares returned too. They started Tuesday night and didn't stop. By Thursday Ziva realized she couldn't cope on her own. She called her therapist, Dr. Christopher McKenzie (**See my story, 'The Lion's Den'**) after a particularly vivid flashback while she was sitting at her desk in the bullpen. Dr. McKenzie told her to come in Saturday at 1100 hrs. He offered to call in a prescription for sleeping pills. Ziva declined.

Her current position helped to get her back to sleep after a nightmare. Just prior to going into therapy she'd discovered that a steaming hot bath helped her get back to sleep. So along with some other techniques that Dr. McKenzie showed her the bath was part of her arsenal against the night horrors. The only times she hadn't needed to resort to it was when she stayed with Seamus Dolan. His arms around her and the murmurs of 'I've got ya, I've got ya Zee' would quiet her mind and allow her to go back to sleep. Thoughts of Seamus made her feel guilty. She'd called him when they'd gotten back to NCIS, leaving a message on his answering machine. Since then Ziva avoided going anywhere near Charlie's. She did not know why she was behaving like this. It was just one more reason she was anxious to see Dr. McKenzie. What Ziva really wanted to talk to the therapist about was how she felt _in_ Afghanistan. During the firefight she felt more alive than she had since before Somalia. Ziva nailed at least four terrorists, all headshots. It made her feel _great_. And that scared her. The last time she'd felt like this she was killing people for Mossad. It was a chapter in her life she would rather keep closed. She was no longer that person. At least she _hoped _she wasn't. Sighing she rose in the tub, tugging at the stopper causing the water to start running out. A quick shower and she was back in bed, under the covers. As Ziva drifted off to sleep the last thing she remembered seeing was a pair of smiling green eyes.

**Parking Lot, Charlie's Bar, Saturday 1630hrs.**

Seamus Dolan unlocked the car cover over his '68 Pontiac GTO. Tomorrow he was taking his 'baby' to a car show. During the week Seamus washed and waxed the exterior, cleaned the engine compartment and detailed the chrome wheels. Today he'd put the finishing touches on the interior and the Pontiac would be good to go. To be honest he was glad that a show entailed this much work. The tasks helped distract him from a vexing issue. Ziva David. Before leaving for a job overseas, she left him a 'just in case' letter, kissed him good-bye and flew away. Came back this past Tuesday, left a message on his answering machine (he didn't own a cell phone or have any desire to) and then nothing, _nada_, zip, zilch. So, what should he make of that?

_I don't know, and therein lays the vexing part._

When Dolan entered into the _arrangement _with Ziva, they agreed to no strings, no attachments. And Seamus was good with that. _Except_, now he really cared for Ziva. Not in the marriage, house and white picket fence way, but in the 'I want to take care of you and keep you safe way'. As he folded the car cover and put it in the trunk, Dolan shook his head and growled.

_You knew this was a bad idea from the start laddie. Now you're stuck with it._

Seamus went to the passenger side of the car and opened the door. Taking up a bottle of vinyl cleaner, he sprayed down the dashboard and started scrubbing. The show he was going to tomorrow was taking place in a mall parking lot in Lorton Virginia.

_Maybe I'll stop in Fredericksburg and have dinner after._

As Dolan finished the passenger section of the dash, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Someone was watching him. He was sitting in the passenger seat, half turned towards the driver's side, a real position of disadvantage.

_Well, if they were going to do me, I'd be done already._

Seamus turned his head slowly bringing into sight Ziva David, hands thrust deep into the pockets of her long dark coat, a small backpack between her feet. Her expression was a mix of apprehension and hopefulness. Dolan climbed out of the car.

"Well, well, the prodigal returns."

Ziva gave a small smile.

"Hello Seamus."

Dolan was fully prepared to be somewhat snarky, but the look on her face when he'd turned pushed that idea right out of his mind.

"Bad was it?"

Ziva shrugged.

"We got the lieutenant back, but a good man died."

Dolan shrugged back.

"Good men have a habit of doing that. How is Ziva David?"

"I am fine."

Seamus snorted.

"And I only drink on days that end in 'y'. I think you're tryin' ta con an old con man."

"I thought you were a cop, not a con man."

"Cops sometimes have to be con men. I always preferred to talk a guy into the cuffs rather than fight him."

Ziva shrugged again.

"I have been having _nightmares _again."

Dolan's face fell. He knew she was talking about Somalia nightmares.

"Ah crap Zee."

Seamus stepped in closer and went to embrace her, but she flinched and stepped back slightly.

_Oh boy, this__** is **__bad._

"Listen Zee, let's go upstairs and I'll make us some dinner. Whadda ya say?"

Ziva gestured to the Pontiac.

"What about the car?"

"Ah, I'm taking her to a car show tomorrow. She's fine the way she is. C'mon gimmie a hand."

Seamus packed up his cleaning supplies and Ziva helped him cover the car. Then they walked up to Seamus' apartment. Ziva's coat and backpack went into a closet. They adjourned to the kitchen.

"Can I get ya a drink?"

"Water will be fine."

"Comin' right up."

Dolan opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water and a Tupperware container of spaghetti sauce.

"I made this the other day. How about some pasta and sauce?"

Ziva's face got a very skeptical look on it. Seamus raised a hand.

"I know what you're gonna say, but don't say it. I went out with a very nice lady of Italian extraction who showed me how to make 'gravy'."

Ziva laughed, her face temporarily losing its somber look.

"All right, I won't say it."

_At least I got her to smile._

Dolan bustled around the kitchen, starting the water boiling, getting down a box of rotini from the cupboard and putting the sauce in a pot to heat up. Meanwhile Ziva got out the plates and silverware. When the pasta was drained and the sauce heated, they sat down to eat. Ziva put a forkful of pasta and sauce in her mouth and chewed.

"Not bad for an Iris…"

Seamus glared at her.

"Not bad."

After the meal was over and the dishes placed in the dishwasher, Seamus looked at Ziva.

"Care for that drink now?"

"Yes, Jameson please."

Dolan raised an eyebrow.

"Irish whiskey is it?"

"Yes."

"Your funeral girlie."

_Oh, that was really smooth dumbass._

Ziva gave Seamus a small smile.

"Eventually."

They walked into the living room and Dolan poured both of them generous portions of whiskey. As he moved to the couch, he flipped on the CD player. 'In A Sentimental Mood' by Coltrane came wafting out of the speakers. Seamus handed Ziva her glass and sat opposite her.

"Tell me."

So she did. About the two little girls, the firefight, Capt. Quincy's death, the bomb plot and apprehending Osman Zorznj. Dolan nodded in satisfaction when Ziva related how Gibbs punched out Osman.

"I'da done more'n punch him out."

"Then you would have given him what he wanted, martyrdom."

Seamus grunted, not convinced.

"So why have you avoided me all week?"

Ziva sighed.

"The nightmares started again. They have been just as strong as when I came back from Somalia."

"So?"

Ziva gave another sigh.

"I did not wish to see _anybody_. I tried to fight them by myself. Finally when I couldn't, I decided to go and see my therapist. I went there today."

Dolan knew that Ziva'd been in therapy after Somalia, but that she'd been down to one visit every couple of months.

"Did it help?"

"I think it did. I suppose I'll find out tonight. I told him about you."

Dolan smiled slightly.

"Did ya now? An' what pray tell did the good doctor make of that?"

Ziva's face colored.

"I did not tell him about _you_. Just that I was seeing someone who understood where I was coming from. Someone who had a law enforcement and military background."

"Did you happen to mention the age difference between you and your friend?"

Ziva colored a little bit more.

"No I did not. I did not feel it was _relevant_ to what we were discussing."

Seamus grinned.

"Not to mention the whole new can of worms it would open up."

Ziva looked puzzled and was opening her mouth when Dolan beat her to it.

"It's an idiom. Not important. What is important is making sure you're okay kiddo."

"I will be fine."

The conversation lagged somewhat as John Coltrane continued to play. Ziva scooted closer and closer finally winding up in Seamus' lap, her head on his shoulder. He automatically wrapped his arms around her and she sighed.

"This is nice."

"Can I get you another drink darlin'?"

"I don't think so. I've got nice fuzz."

Seamus rolled his eyes. Luckily she couldn't see.

"Buzz."

"Buzz?"

"Uh huh."

Seamus shifted his weight a little and Ziva looked up. Dolan grinned.

"I've got a question. How did a nice _sabra_ such as yourself get a taste for John Jameson's finest?"

Ziva grinned back.

"Blame Mike Franks. I went down to Mexico to see him once (see **The Warmth of the Sun/**El Viejo) and developed a taste for it."

"Ah."

Ziva frowned.

"I've heard that 'Ah' before. Nothing happened. When I returned from Somalia he ran into me and bought me a tea. He helped me realize I was going to be okay. Then when I wanted to get away for some alone time he let me stay at his place in Mexico."

Seamus shrugged.

"Okay kiddo. I'm gonna take a shower. I've gotta get up early tomorrow for this car show."

Dolan let her slide off his lap and he got up moving towards the bathroom.

"Watch some TV or something. I won't be long."

As Seamus disappeared into the bathroom, Ziva grinned wickedly.

_I like the 'or something' option._

Ziva rose from the couch and moved resolutely towards the bathroom, shedding her clothes as she went. By the time she reached the door she was naked. Inside the shower was running and she heard Seamus start singing 'Men of Harlech'. Ziva pushed open the door and stepped into the bathroom.

"Need help washing your back?"

**A/N: **As I said up top, I'm not totally happy with this, but it's gonna have to do. Before they killed off Mike Franks, I was going to use a friendship between him and Ziva to explore Somalia. Obviously that's not happening. So now Seamus gets the assignment. What do you think?

'


	7. When Will I Be Loved

**Disclaimer: It's not mine. Nope, doesn't belong to me.**

**Authors Note: **Finally watched 'A Desperate Man'. For a bit I thought that I'd been wrong about how the writers were going to treat the Ziva and Ray relationship. Glad to see I was correct. But there was that whole ring thing that really threw me. I felt really bad for Ziva. So here's my tag for 'A Desperate Man'.

**Spoilers: **I am going to be delving into 'A Desperate Man, so if you haven't seen it yet you may want to stop now. Or you could go to cbs dot com and watch it, and then come back.

_When I find a new man That I want for mine He always breaks my heart in two It happens every time…I've been made blue I've been lied to When will I be loved?_- **Linda Ronstadt**

**Seamus Dolan's Apartment Saturday 2210 hrs. Present Day**

The cab pulled up in front of Charlie's Bar. Seamus Dolan paid off the cabbie and pulled his leather carryon out of the back seat. As the cab pulled away, Dolan headed for the doorway that leads to the apartments above Charlie's. There was a damp bite to the air that made Seamus flip up the collar of the old pea coat he was wearing. Gaining entrance to the vestibule, Dolan checked his mailbox. A couple of bills and a lot of junk mail. The junk mail went into the recycling bin under the mailboxes. The bills went into his pocket

Dolan was returning from Boston after spending six and a half hours on a train. Seamus was not a big fan of flying so he avoided it whenever possible. The trip up to Boston to visit his younger brother was an example. A short plane ride would have been more practical.

_But more stressful. Screw airplanes._

As he mounted the steps to the second floor he sighed.

_A hot shower, three fingers of man's best friend, and an early bedtime._

Dolan reached his door and pulled out his keying. That was when he heard the sound of Elmore James doing 'Dust My Broom'. And it was coming from _inside _his apartment.

When he left, Seamus gave a spare key to Tommy the swamper so he could check on the place. Dolan doubted that Tommy was in there. He should be working. Plus, he was a Led Zeppelin guy.

_Well __**I **__certainly didn't leave my CD player on._

Confident that there wasn't a burglar on the other side of the door, Seamus unlocked his apartment and walked in, dropping his bag by the door. Standing in front of him, the couch between them was Ziva David. She was wearing grey sweatpants and his Boston PD SWAT t-shirt. Her hair was in a ponytail and she was without makeup. Ziva smiled tentatively.

"Hello Seamus."

"Ziva."

Elmore James moved into 'The Sky Is Crying'. Ziva grabbed the remote and shut off the CD player.

"I suppose you are wondering why I am here."

Shrugging out of his coat, Dolan smiled drily.

"The thought crossed my mind."

Ziva came around the couch and took the pea coat from Seamus putting it in the hall closet. She came back and leaning against the back of the couch looked at Dolan.

"I came to the bar looking for you on Thursday, but Steve was there instead. I saw Tommy and he told me you were in Boston visiting family."

"That I was."

Ziva nodded.

"So, Tommy told me you'd given him a key so he could watch the apartment. I persuaded him to let me in and that I would look after things."

Seamus laughed.

"Tommy wouldn't need much _persuading_. He's a sucker for a pretty woman. So let me get this straight, you've been here since Thursday?"

Ziva nodded in the affirmative.

"Why?"

Ziva sighed heavily and told Seamus everything. The death of the female commander married to the Metro Homicide detective, Ray returning ring in hand, the proposal, and finally her finding out that Ray accidently killed the commander while taking out a terrorist. During her account of the last week Seamus watched her body language and noted the hurt in her eyes. After she ran down, he took her by the elbow and steered her around the couch and got her to sit.

"I don't know about you, but after that, I could stand a drink."

Ziva nodded her assent and Dolan went into the kitchen and poured them both a healthy measure of whiskey. He returned to the couch, handed Ziva her drink and sat.

"So you've been holed up here since Thursday. What have ya been doing?"

Ziva smiled.

"Listening to your music, reading your books and cooking."

"Cooking?"

"Uh-huh. For a bachelor you've got a lot of fresh food in your larder. We were going to have my sauce and pasta for supper, but I guess your flight from Boston was delayed?"

Dolan shook his head.

"Flight? No darlin', I took the train. Left Boston at three ten and got in about nine forty. No flying for Mrs. Dolan's little boy. I'm not overly fond of airplanes."

Ziva grinned.

"You are afraid to fly?"

Dolan scowled.

"Reluctant, let's say. If there's an alternative, I take it."

Ziva smiled.

"Okay. So you were visiting your family in Boston."

"Aye. My younger brother Paddy. Both Ma and Da have passed, so other than him there's just a couple of aunts and uncles."

"Your brother's name is Paddy?"

"Yes, short for Padrig. He's a priest."

Ziva's jaw dropped a little.

"A priest?"

Her expression made Seamus chuckle.

"Why is that so hard for you to believe? In the neighborhood where I grew up, boys either became cops, crooks or priests. Paddy had the calling from a young age, so he became a priest. My Ma always said it was because I would need all the help I could get come Judgment Day."

"I wonder what he would think of us."

Dolan shrugged.

"He said he'd like to meet you."

Ziva's jaw dropped again.

"You _told _him about us?"

"Of course I told him. He's my brother. I didn't tell him _everything._ Just that I met someone very nice who was a Federal agent."

Ziva spluttered.

"But…"

"Listen Zee, you don't _have _to meet him if you don't want to."

Ziva got a crafty look on her face.

"Did you happen to mention the difference in our ages?"

"That didn't come up."

Ziva snorted.

"I'll bet."

"Hey, you didn't think it was _relevant_ to tell your therapist about our age difference. I made the same judgment call with my brother. Anyway, moving on to another topic. If you've been here since Thursday, what about work?"

"Well, in light of the situation, Gibbs said he didn't want to see me until Monday morning. I went home and everybody was calling me, asking how I was, wanting to come over and talk. I finally called Gibbs and told him that if a case came up I wanted to work, but that to clear my head I was going to stay with a friend."

Seamus nodded.

"Okay, but you know that because of the GPS in your phone, they know exactly where you are?"

Ziva gave him the Mona Lisa smile that Seamus knew meant that she was one or two steps ahead.

"It's disabled. It has been since before I came here."

"Really."

Ziva smiled again.

"I know people."

Dolan nodded.

_McGee._

By now they were out of whiskey. Seamus held up his glass.

"Another?"

Ziva nodded and Dolan went back into the kitchen with the glasses to pour more Jameson. When he returned, Ziva took her glass. When Dolan sat down, she climbed into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm really sorry thing turned out the way they did Zee."

Ziva took a sip of whiskey.

"When I was _kidon_, I was like Ray. It was the mission, and only the mission. If there was collateral damage, it was regrettable but necessary. Then I came to NCIS and slowly came to realize that I was moving away from being that person. I am sure Ray meant what he said about taking a desk job. But when I confronted him at the airport, he was already back in agent mode. I think he would not have stayed behind a desk for long. In a way it is good I found out what he did now. If I found out after we married…"

Seamus smiled.

"God help him."

Ziva gave him a slightly wolfish smile.

"God would have had very little to do with it."

Dolan gave a little shudder but smiled.

"Listen darlin', this old Irishman is beat. I'm gonna shower and rack out."

Ziva smiled.

"Can I join you?"

"Not in the shower. My back hurt for two days after the last time."

Ziva stuck out her lower lip in a pout.

"Killjoy."

"Sticks and stones."

After showering, Seamus walked into his bed room. Ziva was already under the covers and frowned when she saw he was wearing a t-shirt and underwear.

"You have clothes on."

"Aye, and they're going to _stay_ on. I'm going to sleep."

"You're turning into an old fart."

Climbing into bed, Dolan laughed.

"Sure, that idiom you get right. And I don't have to turn into an old fart, I am one."

Ziva smiled softly and rolled into Seamus letting him wrap his arms around her.

"You're not _that _old."

**Seamus' bedroom, Sunday 0610hrs.**

Seamus Dolan woke slowly and realized he was no longer holding Ziva. As a matter of fact, he was on his back and he felt like he was being watched. He opened one eye and saw Ziva, her head propped up on her hand looking at him.

"Morning. Watching me sleep is it?"

"Good morning. And yes it is."

"Why?"

"Because."

Seamus rolled onto his side and mirrored Ziva.

"Because…?"

"I am trying to figure out why you've not left me too."

"So by watching me sleep you can figure that out? Why not just ask?"

"Because I am not sure I would like the answer."

"Well then, what if I told you the reason is that I really, really care for you."

Ziva opened her mouth, but Seamus laid a finger from his free hand over her lips.

"Hear me out. You're beautiful, intelligent and deadly. Life has dealt you a shitty hand. I'm sticking around until your luck changes. Then I'll bow out gracefully."

"Why?"

"Because Zee darlin', I am not the long term solution. Somewhere out there is the one. I'll hang about until he's lucky enough to find you."

Ziva sighed.

"You have more faith in me than I do. I thought Ray was the one. Now I am wondering if I will ever meet the one."

"Yeah, well there is an Americanism that says 'sometimes you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince'."

Ziva looked puzzled and opened her mouth, but Seamus beat her to it.

"Just trust me on this one. Look it up if you must."

Ziva laughed.

"All right."

Seamus nodded.

"So, how about a ride up to Baltimore, a walk around the Inner Harbor and some time in the National Aquarium?"

Ziva pulled off her t-shirt and tossed it to the floor. She slid closer to Seamus.

"What about _this _first?"

**A/N: **So, that's my tag for 'A Desperate Man'. Onto another matter. **Honeydust9251** has written a Seamus/Ziva story that she says is a little spicier than the ones that I do. However, she is _reluctant_ to put it out here. Something about not being able to use the publishing tools. How about you guys giving her a little encouragement? I've done my best, but no sale. Maybe she'll listen to you. She's still pleading the "technologically challenged" case. I'm not buying it.


	8. Troubles

**Disclaimer: As with all my stuff, the **_**standard disclaimer **_**applies**

**Authors Note: ** When I wrote 'It Is What It Is' (**In "Observing")**, I outlined this story. It morphed into something a little different because of the job down in Colombia to find the Chaplain. It's Seamus and Ziva, so fans of this pairing are gonna say 'YAH', everybody else? Probably not so much. Anyway I hope you enjoy it.

**!BAD words ahead. Cover your delicate shell like ears!**

"_Never eat at a place called "Mom's". Never play cards with a man named 'Doc'. And never sleep with a woman whose troubles are worse than your own."__**- Nelson Algren, "A Walk On The Wild Side".**_

**Gypsy Sally's Vietnamese Restaurant, Fredericksburg VA, Present Day, Saturday 1730hrs.**

"What's up with you GI?"

The voice startled Seamus Dolan back to the here and now. He looked across the table into the concerned eyes of Sally Tranh, the owner of the eatery.

"Sorry Sal. What did you say?"

"I ask what's up with you? You come in, no smile, no joking, no talk. You sit, eat, and have this look on your face like your best friend and dog die on the same day."

Seamus had to laugh.

"Ah, I've got some things on my mind. No worries."

Sally gave a lady-like snort.

"You number ten liar GI."

"Really Sal, I'm okay."

Sally rolled her eyes and slid out of the booth.

"Okay, you're f_ine_. I believe."

"Thanks kiddo. Send Anh back with the check willya?"

"Sure GI."

As he waited for the waitress, Dolan gave himself a reality check. He did have some things on his mind. Well, one thing, well, one person really, Ziva David. Just when he'd get his mind right about their _relationship_, she'd throw him a curveball. Her alleged fiancé Ray went away leaving her with an empty ring box and a _promise_. She'd gotten a little drunk, been unable to drive home, so Seamus offered to take her. She came onto him in his apartment and they'd wound up in bed. Ray returned, screwed up and they broke up. She came to him again. Prior to going to Afghanistan on a job she'd left him a 'just in case' letter. And laid a kiss on him that was probably the most intense he'd ever experienced. Then when she got back, she came to him again when she started to have flashbacks to Somalia. But, ten days ago she'd gone to Colombia with her partner, Special Agent Anthony 'Tony' DiNozzo to search for a missing Navy Chaplin and never said a word. He found out about it accidentally when he heard Abby and McGee talking about it in Charlie's.

_Go to A-stan and leave me a letter, go to Colombia which could be just as dangerous and say nothing. _And, _no word since then._

The logical side of his brain says _'hey man, she doesn't owe you a heads up when she goes places.' _The not logical side was like _'why would she leave like that and not tell me.'_

Seamus sighed.

_You're such a girl Dolan._

Seamus picked up the check and slid out of the booth.

_The hell with it. All this thinkin' is makin' my head hurt._

Dolan decided to take up the invitation of some of the volunteers he worked with at the VA hospital. They got together on Saturday nights at a bar called "the Loop" on U Street near the Howard University campus. The place was owned by a former resident of Chicago and had great deep dish pizza and Guinness on tap. Seamus paid his check, gave Sally a kiss on the cheek and walked out onto Caroline St. He stopped for a second and contemplated. If he turned right, he would be headed to the small municipal parking lot where his '68 red Pontiac GTO was parked. If he turned left, three cars down, parked at the curb was the blue Cadillac CTS that followed him from his apartment. Since his run-in with 'Benny' Acardo (See "Observing") Dolan was followed sporadically by members of Acardo's crew. Seamus figured Acardo was just checking, making sure he wasn't talking to people he shouldn't be.

Seamus turned left. The mood he was in, he had to do _something._ Even if that something wasn't the smartest thing in the world. He strolled down the sidewalk until he drew even with the Caddy. There were two guys in it and they studiously ignored him. Dolan moved over to the car and leaned on the door, smiling thru the open window.

"Evenin' fellas. What's goin' on?"

The guy in the passenger seat looked at Dolan.

"Do I know you?"

Dolan smiled.

"Nah, I don't think so. But your buddy over there, he does. He was in Charlie's Bar last week with Benny Acardo and another guy looked sorta like you."

The driver turned his head looking at Seamus, sneering a little.

"You got a pretty good memory for faces."

"I used to be a cop. Goes with the job."

The passenger spoke up.

"I don't like cops."

Seamus nodded agreeably.

"Well, you bein' in the line of work you're in, I can understand that."

The driver spoke up again.

"There a point to all this?"

Dolan nodded.

"Uh huh. Just figured I'd let you boys know I'm headed back to the District. Try and keep up."

Now it was the passenger's turn to sneer.

"I don't think we'll have any problem keeping up with that antique piece of shit you're drivin'."

Dolan smiled.

"See you on the Interstate."

With that Seamus pushed off the Caddy and walked down the street to his car. He got in, buckled the lap and shoulder belts and fired up the Pontiac. The 400 CID engine growled to life and Dolan wheeled out onto Caroline St. He drove up to Pitt St. hung a left and then another left onto Princess Anne St. The Cadillac hung in his rear view mirror about fifty yards back. As Dolan approached the traffic light at Lafayette Blvd. the light turned yellow. Seamus downshifted, anticipating the light turning red. That's when he saw the Fredericksburg PD radio car stopped at the light. He flicked a look into his rearview and saw the Caddy still fifty yards or so back. He grinned, stabbed the clutch pedal and the accelerator causing the Pontiac to gather itself and lunge thru the intersection on the yellow. The engine noise caused the two cops in the radio car to check out the intersection just in time to see the Caddy blow the light.

Seamus looked in his rear view pleased with the sight of the cops pulling over the Cadillac. By the time the gunthugs got untangled, he'd be up on the Interstate and long gone. Seamus sighed happily and turned on the radio. It was tuned to his favorite local Country station. Justin Townes Earle was starting in on "Someday I'll Be Forgiven For This". Seamus sang along as he headed back to DC.

**A/N: **After some soul searching, I've decided that instead of turning this into one _looong_ chapter I'm going to break it up into two. The second half will have Ziva in it obviously. It's going to be a little angsty too.


	9. Troubles Part Two

**DISCLAIMER: See the previous chapter for the usual legal stuff**

**Authors Note: **_Okayyy. _So, here's the second half of Troubles. Hopefully a few more of you will give me some feedback. I'm gratified that so many people are reading these Seamus/Ziva tales. Without any further ado, here's the rest of the story.

**STILL GOING TO BE MORE BAD LANGUAGE! **Consider yourself warned!

**Parking Lot, Charlie's Bar, 0050hrs.**

Seamus Dolan turned into the small graveled parking lot next to Charlie's. On his way in he saw the blue Caddy parked across the street. He grinned.

_I wonder if the boys got themselves a ticket._

Dolan pulled to the rear corner of the lot and backed in the Pontiac. He switched off the ignition cutting off Garth Brooks in the middle of "The Beaches of Cheyenne". Seamus sat for a moment before unbuckling the lap and shoulder belts. His evening didn't go _exactly_ as he'd planned. Yes, he'd gone to 'the Loop', getting there just after his friends from the VA finished eating their pizza. He'd drank two Jameson and then nursed a pint of Guinness for the rest of the night. After being challenged, he'd shot five games of darts, winning three. He even flirted a little with Claire Francis, the 55 year old widow of a Master Chief. Seamus took her number after some initial resistance, promising to call her. Dolan blew out a breath and exited his car. The entire evening felt to him like he was just going thru the motions. And he knew why.

_She Who Will Not Be Named._

Later, the next thing he did, he couldn't explain even to himself. Instead of going right to the trunk and getting out the car cover, he walked to the front of the GTO and looked toward the street. The blue Cadillac CTS was just sitting there, the streetlight reflection causing the windows to appear blacked out. Seamus _knew _they were watching, so he gave them a jaunty wave and headed for the trunk. As Dolan moved to the back of the car, he felt a stirring low in his belly. When he reached the trunk and opened it, the feeling became more pronounced. In the distance he heard the double 'thunks' of two car doors closing. His blood started thrumming in his ears. Seamus raised the trunk lid and busied himself inside. It wouldn't be long he figured.

The last time he felt like this it was forty some years ago…

_It was his last mission before being assigned to the armory (See "Observing"). A SEAL squad was compromised on their way to extraction. A running gunfight ensued and Seamus' boat along with another PBR was assigned to get the SEAL's out. The new extraction point was at the head of a canal running off the Song My Tho. As soon as they made the turn off the river, AK and RPD rounds started snapping past the gun tub, sounding like angry killer bees. Two B-40 (RPG-2) rockets barely missed the boat. Dolan's twin fifties were sending out rounds and vibrating in his hands like a thing alive. The boat smacked into the canal bank and the SEAL's tumbled in, wide eyed from fear and adrenalin. Petty Officer Grimes immediately went 'full astern' and the PBR started backing out._

_Overhead, Huey's from HA(L)-3 (the Seawolves) arrived and commenced 'danger close' gun and 2.75 in. rocket runs on both sides of the canal. The volume of VC/NVA fires decreased some but was still heavy. The rest of the boat crew and the SEAL squad crammed into the coxswains flat, the only place other than the gun tub that was fully armored. The twins fifties were the only weapons on the boat firing. Over the cacophony of gunfire, Dolan could hear his crewmates screaming, "GET SOME RED, GET SOME!..._

The crunch of feet on gravel brought Seamus back from Vietnam. The two thugs from earlier were standing by the front of the Pontiac. They looked less than pleased. In times of high stress, Dolan's Boston accent and brogue became more pronounced.

"Mornin' lads. Come to tuck me in have ya?"

The driver spoke.

"Fuck you asshole."

"My, my, such language. You're not sore about me leaving you in the dust back in Fredericksburg are ya?"

The passenger spoke up.

"Mr. Acardo wants to know where you went."

Seamus could feel things building inside himself. Things that he only allowed out in times of danger. His logical side was jabbering about 'being careful about what he said'. The side of him that centuries ago painted itself blue and struck fear in the hearts of Roman legionaries was howling.

"Tell himself, that I went to a place called 'the Loop' on U Street. I had two Jameson and a pint of Guinness. Played some darts and came home. Timmy McNabb is the bartender, he can verify that."

The driver grinned wolfishly.

"Very nice. Mr. Acardo also said we could teach you some manners as long as we didn't put you in the hospital. We like that idea."

The passenger spoke up.

"A lot."

Dolan let them get as far as the front tire before taking his hands out of the trunk. In his right he was holding a Smith & Wesson Model 10 M&P (Military&Police) with a 4 inch 'bull barrel'. It was loaded with six Federal .38 cal. 110 grain 'Hydra-Shok' JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point) rounds. The two thugs stopped dead in their tracks. Seamus did not smile.

"Well, _I _don't like the idea at all. I am not in the mood to be laid hands upon."

The driver spoke. To his credit, his voice did not waver.

"Nice peashooter."

Dolan grinned tightly.

"This _peashooter _as you call it was the weapon I carried for the majority of my career as a copper. Of the three men I killed in the line of duty, I used this to kill two."

The driver spoke again.

"But we're unarmed. You'd shoot two men who were unarmed?"

"_Men_? No. Two _skels_ such as yourselves? Absolutely."

Seamus was standing in the classic close quarter's stance. Feet shoulder width apart, elbow tucked into his side just above the belt line, forearm parallel to the ground. Where his eyes looked, the rounds would go. Neither thug moved. The seconds stretched. Dolan grinned again tightly.

"Fill your hands or drift."

"What if we just came at you?"

"Then you'd die like the dogs that you are. Make your play damn you."

The driver looked at his hole cards and did not like what he saw.

"We'll leave, but this ain't over by a long shot. C'mon Richie."

Both men backed carefully away. Once they were back by the front of the GTO they turned their backs. Seamus lowered the .38. He stood like that until he heard the Caddy start and then peel out. Dolan moved back to the trunk, putting the Smith in a black nylon tool bag that was its hiding place. As he removed the folded car cover, his hands started to shake and he had an overwhelming craving for a cigarette.

In Vietnam he smoked two packs of Camels a day. He started shortly after his first firefight. He stopped the day he stepped off his Freedom Bird at North Island NAS. Seamus closed the trunk lid and the cover slipped out of his hands that were really shaking now. He chuckled darkly.

_Gotta love the post adrenalin dump shakes._

Just as he was about to stoop over and attempt to pick up the cover, a voice came out of the darkness behind him.

"I really think you may be insane."

In spite of his hyper condition, Seamus did not jump. Or have a heart attack. He did explode however.

**JESUS H CHRIST ON A BICYCLE! **Goddamnit Ziva David, how many times have I told you not to sneak up on me like that."

Ziva stepped out of the shadows.

"I did not _sneak up _on you. I've been _standing _back there for about an hour and a half. Since your car was gone, you obviously were not home. I was waiting for you."

"And why would that be? In the not too recent past you've not been shy about entering my apartment in my absence."

Ziva looked sheepish.

"I did not wish to make you any angrier than you probably already are at me."

_Ah crap. Why can't I stay pissed at this woman?_

__"Gimme a hand with this cover willya?" said Seamus gruffly.

"Certainly."

With Ziva's help, he got the Pontiac covered. Seamus was now really feeling the post fight or flight crash. He felt like he was a hundred years old. He really didn't want to go through this with her tonight, but it looked like he was going to. Ziva stepped closer to him placing a hand on his shoulder and looking deeply into his eyes.

"I'm sorry."

_Welll shit._

Seamus tried to play it off.

"For?"

Ziva's hand came off his shoulder and lightly slapped his cheek.

"Don't do that. I should have told you I was leaving. I did not. I'm sorry."

_Again, welll shit._

Dolan sighed. With her standing in front of him and looking like she did, he said the only thing he could.

"Apology accepted. I'm going upstairs and have a drink. You coming?"

Ziva nodded and went into the shadows for her backpack. She came back frowning. They started off toward his apartment.

"Are you going to tell me why two members of Benny Acardo's crew were waiting for and following you?"

"No."

"Would you have shot them?"

Seamus looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Under which circumstance?"

"Unarmed."

"In a New York minute."

"But when the police got here..."

Seamus smiled.

"By the time the bluesuits got here, both of those boys would have weapons in their hands."

Ziva stopped walking.

"You expected I would lie?"

"Well, I didn't know you were there did I?"

Ziva put her hands on her hips.

"So you would expect me to lie?"

Dolan, who had also stopped, shrugged.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night darlin'."

"Seamus…"

"Listen Zee, I'm a _retired _cop. I am no longer bound by my oath of office. Those two would think nothing of shooting some poor guy in the back of the head without warning. We were all adults. I told 'em straight up what would happen. So yeah, if they had taken one more step, I'da buzzed 'em."

Seamus started walking.

"You comin' or not?"

**Dolan's Apartment, 0425hrs.**

Ziva David awoke suddenly. It took several seconds to figure out why. Next to her Seamus Dolan was thrashing around in his sleep, moaning softly. She slid closer to him and the moaning resolved itself into words.

'_Get Some'._

Ziva carefully wrapped herself around Seamus and he settled down.

"Ziva."

"Yes, I am here. Go back to sleep."

"'Kay."

After several minutes, Ziva too was asleep.

**A/N: **Not as angsty on paper as it was in my head, but still pretty good I think. What do _you _think?


	10. Status Quo

**DISCLAIMER: Unless something has radically changed I do not own NCIS or any of its characters. I just write about them occasionally.**

**Authors Note: **This is the last part of a little arc that developed over the last month. Usually my literary Jiminy Cricket, **M E Wofford** lets me know a story needs _one more chapter._ But she's been MIA lately. However, even _I _knew I had to write this chapter. This is the last of the transfer chapters. Next one will be an original story for this title. Stay tuned.

**Seamus Dolan's Apartment, Sunday, 0712hrs.**

Ziva David awoke to the smell of brewing coffee. She stretched languidly. Whenever she spent the night at Seamus' she never felt guilty about sleeping late. Looking at the clock radio on the nightstand she noted it was 7:12 am. Usually she was up at 5:00 am. Grinning she rolled out of bed. Her clothes from the night before were neatly folded at the foot of the bed. On top was Dolan's Boston PD SWAT T-shirt. She'd asked him about it once and all he would say was 'I was a breecher for two years and then I went back to Patrol'. Ziva shrugged into the t-shirt inhaling. It smelled like Dolan. She padded down the hallway to the kitchen, knowing that's where he'd be. Ziva reached the doorway and leaned against the frame. Seamus was standing in just his boxers, sipping a cup of coffee and staring out of the window over the sink. There was a knife wound scar on the top of his right shoulder.

_I bet a good story goes with that scar. I'll have to ask him about it._

There was something else Ziva wanted to ask him also. Last night made her realize that though Dolan wasn't in his words, 'the long term solution', he might just be the short term solution. She frowned a little at that thought.

If _he still feels the same about me after how I treated him when I went down to Colombia. That was stupid._

Seamus Dolan sipped his coffee and wondered how long it would take Ziva to wake up. Usually the smell of coffee or food would wake her.

_Shouldn't be long._

He shifted position slightly.

_Better._

Last night had been pretty intense. Between the gunthugs and the Israeli scaring the crap out of him, and the possibility he'd had a nightmare about Vietnam for the first time in ages, he hoped today would be calmer. There was movement behind him. At the angle he was standing, the window acted like a mirror. Ziva was leaning on the doorframe, hair tousled, wearing his SWAT t-shirt. She had on her 'thinking' face, and from the way she was looking at him, he figured the thinking concerned him. Without moving, he spoke.

"Mornin' Zee. Coffee?"

_How does he _always _know I'm there?_

Seamus turned and smiled at the expression on her face.

_I can't believe an ex-Mossad operator and current Federal agent hasn't figured out I'm using the window as a mirror. Score one for the street cop._

"Yes, coffee would be nice."

"Comin' up."

Dolan got a mug from the cabinet, filled it with coffee and handed it to Ziva.

"Be right back kiddo."

Seamus went to the bedroom and put on a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. When he returned to the kitchen, Ziva was sitting at the table sipping her coffee. By her expression Dolan figured she was several light years away.

_Wonder what's going on in that gorgeous but sometimes deadly brain?_

Seamus put his hands on Ziva's shoulders.

"It's too early for deep thinkin'."

She looked up and smiled.

"Can we spend the day together?"

"Sure darlin'."

Ziva came off the chair quick as a cat, wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. She pulled back.

"Then I am done thinking."

Forty five minutes later, Ziva was lightly tracing the scar on Dolan's shoulder with her finger.

"How did you get this scar?"

"Mmmph?"

Seamus was face down, his head buried in his pillow. Ziva poked his shoulder.

"I said, how did you get this scar?"

Dolan raised his head and turned himself towards Ziva.

"I made a rookie mistake."

"What happened?"

Seeing that he wasn't going to be able to deflect the question, Seamus sighed. He propped his head up with his hand.

"I had about eighteen months on the street. I'd been passed by my Field Training Officer, so I was feeling pretty salty. My partner Tommy Flynn and I went to a domestic. This was way before the state had the Domestic Violence Act. In those days, unless the guy smacked his old lady in front of you, there wasn't much you could do. You'd make two, three, sometimes four trips back to the same place. This was our third trip back to these people. We decided one of us would try and provoke the guy. Make him take a swing at us and we could then collar him up."

"What were you going to do?"

"Ah, you know, get in his personal space, maybe step on his feet, whisper something to piss him off, like that. Understand?"

Ziva nodded.

"Okay, so we get there, Tommy gets in his face, and true to form, the guy does take a swing. I'd been talking to the wife, who was standing in the doorway from the kitchen to the living room. Like I'd been taught in the Academy, I was positioned so that I could keep an eye on the wife and help Flynn if he needed it. Tommy took the guy down okay, and the wife was being cool. Then the guy started to struggle and Flynn was having a little trouble getting the second cuff on. So I turned to help him."

Seamus stopped for a second and looked sheepish.

"Instead of stepping sideways and grabbing the guy, I turned my back. As soon as I turned, she reached back into the kitchen, came up with a four inch steak knife and stuck me in the shoulder. She was screaming how we weren't 'takin' her man to jail'. I went down on my knees. All Tommy could see was the knife stickin' out of my shoulder and this crazy woman reaching for it again. He drew his .38 and put two rounds in her ten ring. By that time I'd lost all interest in the proceedings. I woke up ten and a half hours later in the Mass. General ICU with a dandy new knife scar and a lot less faith in my fellow man."

Dolan rolled out of bed and headed for the door.

"Let's take a shower and get some breakfast, I'm starving."

Ziva was out of the bed like a shot grinning. Realizing what he'd just said Seamus groaned.

After they dressed, Dolan led Ziva to a neighborhood joint called Manny's for apple-blueberry pancakes. Five hours later, they were sitting on a park bench on the National Mall, watching tourists and natives enjoying the early spring warmth.

The bench faced the National Gallery of Art. During breakfast they'd talked about what to do for the day. Seamus discovered that even though Ziva'd been living in the District for at least six years, she'd never been to the National Gallery. That decided it. He led her to the Navy Yard Metro stop and they got off at the Smithsonian station. After walking up the Mall to the gallery they spent the morning wandering the exhibit halls, Ziva either holding his hand, or clutching his arm. This was new. In public they would usually just walk side by side occasionally bumping shoulders. Now on the bench, she was plastered to his side and his arm was around her shoulder.

"You did not strike me as the art museum type."

Seamus looked at her, his green eyes dancing with humor.

"Oh, so just because I'm an ex-cop, I'm _nekulturny_?"

Ziva's eyebrow arched.

"I didn't mean to imply you were uncultured. You speak Russian?"

Seamus closed his eyes for a second and then switched languages.

"_It's been a while, but yes, I speak Russian."_

"Your accent is very good. How did you learn?"

Switching back to English, Dolan smiled.

"When I was P.I. down in Florida I lived with a woman for eighteen months who was originally from Minsk. She was a nanny, and I got her out from under a kidnapping charge."

Ziva was quiet for a while after that. She was watching him watching the people passing by.

_He constantly surprises me. I'd have _never _guessed he could speak Russian or appreciate art the way he does._

For his part Dolan was also thinking.

_Still trying to figure what's going on. She's been awful couplely today. Not that I'm complainin' or anything._

Ziva finally spoke.

"Art does not seem to be something you would ordinarily like. How did you become interested?"

Dolan laughed.

"When I first moved here to DC, I was doing the tourist thing ya know. Hitting the monuments and the museums. I met this woman who was into ballet, classical music and art. So I tried to get into those things too. Appreciating art was the only thing that stuck."

Ziva laughed too.

"I'm sensing a trend and pattern here."

"Yeah, now that you mention it, I am too."

Ziva's face turned serious.

"So what has knowing me brought to your life?"

Seamus decided that serious was not the way to go. He smiled and poked Ziva in the side.

"That like the t-shirt says, 'Old Guys Rule!'"

They spent the rest of the day together, but Ziva chickened out and never mentioned moving their relationship to the next level. For his part, Dolan knew she had something on her mind but was content to let it slide.

_If and when she wants to tell me she will._

**A/N: **I want to thank all my "regulars" as well as all the lurkers and occasional readers who really seem to like this pairing that I came up with. Now that I've transferred everything I'll be going "live" for the next chapter. _Adios _for now.


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